Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday proposed a “time-bound roadmap” to enhance the relationship with Saudi Arabia to scale up the level of engagement from friendship and cooperation.
He made the proposal at the first-ever political consultation with Saudi Arabia with a 6-member delegation led by his counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
The meeting was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the foreign ministry said.
At the end of the consultations, both the leaders signed two instruments, namely, Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters and an MoU on Cooperation between the Foreign Service Academies of the two countries.
The foreign minister identified six new areas of engagement for future collaboration, namely, collaboration and partnership with Saudi Green Initiative undertaken by the Saudi Crown Prince in planting 10 billion trees in Saudi Arabia and 50 billion trees across the Middle East; Saudi investment in the Bangabandhu Industrial City [Exclusive Economic Zone] in Chattogram; investment by leading Saudi companies in development of Tourism and Hotel industry and in the IT sector, Contract Farming in third countries for agro-production to attain food security and developing Skills Training Programme in Bangladesh at Saudi initiative.
Both the leaders expressed satisfaction at the close alignment of positions in all major global issues regarding stability, security, primacy of state sovereignty and upholding the UN Charter and agreed to continue this collaboration in the future.
The Bangladesh Foreign Minister sought cooperation from the Saudi side for sustainable repatriation and ensuring justice for the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.
The Saudi Foreign Minister assured him of all support in the resolution of the Rohingya refugee crisis.
At the outset, both the leaders reaffirmed the bond of enduring ties and friendship existing between the two brotherly countries and expressed satisfaction over the state of bilateral cooperation.
They noted the understanding and goodwill existing at the political level between the two countries and emphasized the need for devising means and ways to translate this into concrete outcomes.
Both sides further stressed the need to coordinate and work together at functional levels to carry forward the policy decision for mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
During the consultations, both sides took stock of the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the two countries and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest in the regional and multilateral arena.
Among the issues that came up for review and discussion were increased bilateral trade and investment, recruitment of skilled manpower, Hajj management, education, health, environment and climate change, ICT and tourism.
The Saudi Foreign Minister stressed the need to enhance collaboration in trade and investment and stated that some Saudi companies have already invested in some sectors in Bangladesh and some other companies are considering greater engagement in various areas.
He sought policy and institutional support from the Bangladesh side.
The Saudi Foreign Minister also suggested that launching a joint business forum and exchange of business delegation between the two countries, could augment bilateral trade and business.
Earlier, the Saudi Foreign Minister paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganobhaban where they exchanged views on bilateral relations and recent developments in the regional and global arena.
The Saudi Foreign Minister arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday in a two- days visit and left Dhaka on Wednesday.
At the airport, he was received and seen off by his counterpart.
